Third rail contact shoe



THIRD RAIL CONTACT SHOE Filed Oct.- 10, 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR. Raymond filer-h,

ATTORNEY.

J1me R. H. SIERK THIRD RAIL CONTACT SHOE Filed Oct. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIOR.

\ I \1 I V BY gmmmflmer/z,

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT; orncs THIRD RAIL CONTACT SHOE Raymond H. Sierk, Whitestone, N. Y.

Application October 10, 1938, Serial No. 234,105

14 Claims.

My invention relates to electric railways using a third rail as a source of current and is directed more particularly to. the collector or third rail contact means by which the current is taken from the third 'rail by the moving car.

An object of my invention is to design a contact mechanism' which comprises a two-piece structure with arelatively simple method of connection therebetween; said arrangement being particularly efiicient for the purpose described.

My invention comprehends a simplified method of removing and replacing the relatively inexpensive portion whichis worn away by engagement with the third rail while retaining the cost- 1 5. ly' major portion of the device for successive use.

My novel design is adaptable for use in either cast steel, cast iron, malleable iron, forged or pressed steel and may also be suitably constructed with either'portion of cast steel and the other go portion of cast iron or other combinations of suitable 'metalsQ Generally speaking, the portion which is not designed to be Worn away I have designated the fulcrum and the other portion of the device I have designated a wear pad.

My invention comprehends such an arrangement of parts as will permit'the removal of a worn pad and the application of a new pad with simple operations requiring a single tool used by one workman.

My invention also contemplates a novel structure which will permit immediate removal of the Wear pad portion thereof in case of emergency without the use of any special tool.

Safety factors have received the utmost consideration in my novel collector structure as will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the contact shoe or collector with the parts in normal assembled relationship;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a' transverse sectional view through the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2; the view being taken substantially in the plane indicated by the lined-3 of Figure 2;,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the fulcrum casting;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the fulcrum casting, the view being taken. from the right as seen in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional View through the fulcrum casting, the section being taken in the vertical plane substantially as indicated by the line 6-6' of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the wear pad casting and Figure 8 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view in two planes through the wear pad casting and. substantially as indicated by the line 99 of Figure 7;

Figures 10 and 11 show atop plan view and a side elevation respectively of the spring associated with my novel collector;

Figures 12 and 13 show the form of key used with'my collector, Figure 12 being a side elevation and Figure 13 an end view thereof; and

Figure 14 is a view showing the special tool used in applying or removing the wear pad and the manner in which said tool is associated with the parts in operation.

Describing my novel collector in greater detail, it may be observed that the fulcrum member generally designated 2 comprises a'vertical top flange 4 reinforced at the rear by the central rib 6, said flange forming a means of abutment as at 8 against a convenient portion of the car truck. to limit the clockwise rotation of said fulcrum as viewed in Figure 2. Said fulcrum may be pivotally mounted as at H) on a shaft extending through the aligned openings l2, I? at opposite sides of the pivoted end, said shaft being mounted inany suitable manner upon the car truck. Adjacent the pivot point l0 and at one side of the fulcrum is provided the tapped opening M for the reception of the shunt terminal bolt. V

At the opposite end of the assembly as viewed in Figures 1 and 2 is shown the wear pad generally designated [6, said wear pad being a flat plate-like structure comprising the longitudinal ribs 3, l8 and the transverse ribs 29, as well as the central opening 22'to accommodate a voltage plug. The inboard end of the wear pad comprises the tongue-like member 24 with the transverse key way 26 of a form designed conveniently to accommodate the key 28 shown in Figures 12 and 13.. The tongue 24 of the wear pad is accommodated inthe slot 30 (Figure 5) centrally formed on the bottom of the fulcrum member 2, said slot being bridged at the outboard extremity of the fulcrum by the transverse member 32 best seen from a consideration of Figures 5' and 6. Inboard oi the bridge member 32 is formed the central opening 34 designed to accommodate the bridge, 36 defining the before mentioned key way 26 on the wear pad. The ends of the key 28 are positioned on the key seats 38, 38- at the opposite sides of the opening 34 and the lateral ribs 40, 40 prevent the accidental loss or shifting of said retaining key 28. The springs 42 are of the form shown in Figures 10 and 11 and one or more may be superimposed upon each other as desired. One end of the spring is seated as at 44 against the bottom of the bridge member 32 and the central U-shaped portion 46 of said spring extends over the key way portion of the wear pad tongue as best seen in the view of Figure 2, the opposite end of said spring having a hearing as at 48 adjacent the inner extremity of the before mentioned groove 38.

Contact surfaces are provided as at 48, 50, 52 and 54, all as viewed in Figure 2 and at 26 (Figure 3). The bottom of the contact shoe is a fiat smooth surface as indicated at 55, 55 (Figures 8 and 9) with radii at the lateral and outboard edges thereof as indicated at 56, 58 and 68, thus accommodating engagement with the third rail.-

The radius at 6| (Figure 8) on the inboard edge of the wearing surface prevents the formation of a shoulder at this point as the pad wears, thus preventing any quick vertical movement of the wear pad which would otherwise result from an extreme lateral movement of the truck.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a modicum of play will be permitted between the contact shoe and the fulcrum member through their manner of connection in the spring 42 and the key 28; on the other hand, most of the movement will occur at the pivotal point I!) about which pivotal point the fulcrum and the shoe will normally move as a unit.

Figure 14 shows the manner of applying or removing the wear pad 82 by means of the special tool 64. The said special tool is in the form of a substantially straight flat bar 66 having the handle 58 and the up-turned end it forming a fulcrum for convenient abutment as at 12 against the bottom surface of the tongue 24 when the -various parts are placed in assembled relationship. Adjacent the fulcrum end 10 is pivotally connected as at 14 the link 16 having at its upper end the hook 18 designed to engage with the lip 88 formed on the edge of the fulcrum 2. To those skilled in the art it will readily be apparent that when downward force is applied to the handle 58 the tongue 24 will be forced upwardly by the engagement of the fulcrum 18 against the bottom thereof as at 12, thus forcing the said tongue 24 upwardly against the spring 42 until the key way 26 is raised sufficiently to permit the application or removal of the key 28. To accommodate this application or removal the key 28 is chamfered at its ends as best seen at 82, 82 (Figure 12) A novel feature of my invention is in the material and form of the key 28, said key being constructed of a hard but frangible material which will permit it to be broken by a single hammer blow, thus permitting easy disengagement of the wear pad from the fulcrum member in case of emergency without the use of any special tools and thereby allowing the car to be safely and quickly moved without any portion of the truck engaging a live third rail.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a two-piece current collector for third rails of electric railways, a car truck member, a fulcrum member pivotally connected thereto, and

a wear pad resiliently connected to said fulcrum member, said connection comprising a tongue and groove arrangement wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove in said fulcrum member, said tongue having a transverse key Way and said fulcrum member having a key seat, a key received in said key way and positioned on said seat, and resilient means for retaining said parts in assembled relationship, said resilient means being in the form of a plurality of metal springs having bearings in said groove adjacent the opposite ends thereof and having an intermediate bearing adjacent the end of said tongue.

2. In a two-piece current collector for third rails of electric railways, a car truck member, a fulcrum member pivotally connected thereto, and a wear pad resiliently connected to said fulcrum member, said connection comprising a tongue and groove arrangement wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove in said fulcrum member, said tongue having a transverse key way and said fulcrum member having a key seat, a key received in said key way and positioned on said seat, and resilient means for retaining said parts in assembled relationship, said key being constructed of frangible material to permit its destruction by a solid blow whereby in case of emergency said wear pad may be disengaged from said fulcrum member.

3. In a two-piece current collector for third rails of electric railways, a car truck member, a fulcrum member pivotally connected thereto, and a wear pad, resiliently connected to said fulcrum member, said connection comprising a tongue and groove arrangement wherein a tongue on said Wear pad is received within a groove in said fulcrum member, said tongue having a transverse key way and said fulcrum member having a key seat, a key received in said key way and positioned on said seat, and resilient means for retaining said parts in assembled relationship, said resilient means comprising a metal spring having bearing adjacent the opposite ends of said groove and overlying said key way.

4. A third rail contact shoe comprising a fulcrum member and a wear pad, a tongue and groove connection therebetween wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove on said fulcrum member, an opening in'said fulcrum member overlying said tongue, a key way on said tongue projecting through said opening, a retaining key positioned in said key way and seated against said fulcrum member, and resilient means retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said resilient means comprising a metal spring, the opposite ends of which have bearing adjacent the extremities of said groove and an intermediate point of which has bearing adjacent the end of said tongue.

5. A third rail contact shoe comprising a fulcrum member and a wear pad, a tongue and groove connection therebetween wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove on said fulcrum member, an opening in said fulcrum member overlying said tongue, a key way on said tongue projecting through said opening, a retaining key positioned in said key way and seated against said fulcrum member, and resilient means retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said resilient means comprising a metal spring seated against said fulcrum member at spaced points and overlying said tongue.

6. A third rail contact shoe comprising a fulcrum member and a wear pad, a tongue and groove connection therebetween wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove on said fulcrum member, an opening in said fulcrum member overlying said tongue, a key way on said tongue projecting through said opening, a retaining key positioned in said key way and seated against said fulcrum member, and resilient means retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said resilient means comprising a metal spring seated against said fulcrum member at spaced points and against said tongue at intermediate points.

7. A third rail contact shoe comprising a fulcrum member and a wear pad, a tongue and groove connection therebetween wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove on said fulcrum member, an opening in said fulcrum member overlying said tongue, a key way on said tongue projecting through said opening, a retaining key positioned in said key way and seated against said fulcrum member and resilient means retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said key being composed of relatively frangible material whereby it may be broken by a solid blow in case of emergency to permit removal of said wear pad from said fulcrum member.

8. In a third rail contact shoe, a fulcrum member and a wear pad, means for securing together said member and said Wear pad in the form of a tongue and groove connection therebetween, said tongue being formed on said pad and received in a groove on said fulcrum member and comprising a key way projecting through said fulcrum member and a key positioned in said key way and seated on said fulcrum member, and resilient means for retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said resilient means being in the form of a metal spring having bearing adjacent the opposite ends of said groove and overlying said tongue.

9. In a third rail contact shoe, a fulcrum member and a wear pad, means for securing together said member and said wear pad in the form of a tongue and groove connection therebetween, said tongue being formed on said pad and received in a groove on said fulcrum member and comprising a key way projecting through said fulcrum member and a key positioned in said key way and seated on said fulcrum member, and resilient means for retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship, said resilient means being in the form of a metal spring having bearing adjacent its opposite ends against said fulcrum member and at an intermediate point against said tongue.

rails of electric-railways, a car truck member, a fulcrum member pivotally connected thereto, and a wear pad resiliently connected to said fulcrum member, said connection comprising a tongue and groove arrangement wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove in said fulcrum member, said tongue having a transverse key Way and said fulcrum member having a key seat, a key received in said key way and positioned on said seat, and resilient means for retaining said parts in assembled relationship.

11. In a third rail contact shoe, a fulcrum member and a wear pad, means for securing together said member and said wear pad in the form of a tongue and groove connection therebetween, said tongue being formed on said pad and received in a groove on said fulcrum member and comprising a key way projecting through said fulcrum member and a key positioned in said key way and seated on said fulcrum member, said key being formed of relatively frangible material .destructible by a solid blow whereby said pad may be removed from said member in case of emergency.

12. A third rail contact shoe comprising a fulcrum member and a Wear pad, a tongue and groove connection therebetween wherein a tongue on said wear pad is received within a groove on said fulcrum member, an opening in said fulcrum member overlying said tongue, a key way on said tongue projecting through said opening, a retaining key positioned in said key way and seated against said fulcrum member, and resilient means retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship.

13. In a third rail contact shoe, a fulcrum member and a wear pad, means for securing together said member and said wear pad in the form of a tongue and groove connection therebetween, said tongue being formed on said pad and received in a groove on said fulcrum member and comprising a key way projecting through said fulcrum member and a key positioned in said key way and seated on said fulcrum member, and resilient means for retaining said parts in normal assembled relationship.

14. In a third rail contact shoe, a fulcrum member and a wear pad, means for securing together said member and said Wear pad in the form of a tongue and groove connection therebetween, said tongue being formed on said pad and received in a groove on said fulcrum member and comprising a key way projecting through said fulcrum member and a key positioned in said key Way and seated on said fulcrum member.

RAYMOND H. SIERK. 

